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Marked
Marked is a Sirian action-thriller produced by the Uabarri Media Company (UMC) and broadcast by the Uabarri Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), of which it is a subsidary. Marked revolves around Jatunn (played by Berraz Uheo) and Uzioi (Enan Irruz), the products of two competing super-soldier programmes as the latter tries to hunt down the former. Marked first aired in 3550, achieving significant success in its home market. This lead to the authorisation of two further seasons, the third of which is currently airing. The programme also launched the careers of Berraz and Enan. It was exported to several other markets, being dubbed and subbed in Rihansu, Spanish, and English. Its main selling points are the psychic powers that the main character displays, as well as the tense fights, which are often rendered in highly detailed slow-motion. Overview An ancient conspiracy known as The Way sought to dominate the galaxy, and in order to do so it tried to create super-soldiers to act as enforcers when it seized power. Two competing programs developed proofs of concept in a bid to win favour. One - Hrondfor, named after a mythical Sirian blacksmith with divine blood - created a male Sirian with extraordinary psychic powers, though he was relatively weak and thus had to rely on his speed and agility. His name was Jatunn, another reference to classical myth. The other program - Nalal, "The Destroyer", an entity from Sirian mythology - instead augmented a woman who gained incredible physical capabilities. Her name was Uzioi. Perhaps due to her incredibly unbalanced mental state, she is entirely immune to Jatunn's powers. However, due to an accident in transit Jatunn ended up escaping. Fully aware of The Way's dark designs, he is now on the run and trying to avoid the clutches of the conspiracy, not to mention other groups that are interested in his powers. He hopes to defeat The Way once and for all. Realising the potential for disaster, The Way came up with a cunning way of handling the problem: they contacted the Nalal programme, and told them that their super-soldiers would be authorised if Uzioi could subdue or kill her opposite number. Thus the stage is set for betrayals, stand-offs, twists, profound questions, and more. All episodes begin with a quote from a Sirian philosopher, usually related to the main theme of that particular episode. Aside from season openings or finales, by the end of the episode Jatunn has either experienced a minor setback or reprieve. A common theme is that no matter how much he wants to, Jatunn cannot simply settle down and blend in with ordinary life, and he must keep moving until The Way is defeated once and for all. This is because he is almost always being pursued from place to place. Normally he gains a new ability or experiences a dramatic revelation at the mid-point or end of a season. Occasionally Jatunn and Uzioi are forced to team up to deal with a greater, more immediate threat. Major Characters Jatunn: The protagonist of the story, Jatunn is the product of the Hrondfor super-soldier program. Slight even for a male, he uses quick thinking, his agility, and psychic powers to win his battles. Normally deadly serious, he tries to avoid harming anyone unless they are threatening him or innocents. He feels at once distant from and close to his normal counterparts, and worries often that he will become like Uzioi. With a strong sense of justice, he will not rest until The Way comes crashing down. He is never seen without wearing his psy-suit (a skintight bodysuit that amplifies his abilities); when using his powers his eyes glow green. According to his official profile, he enjoys sweet food. "If I can save even one person, it will all be worth it..." Uzioi: One of the major antagonists. Uzioi was created by the Nalal super-soldier program. A massive woman, her incalculable strength, toughness, and regenerative abilities allow her to steamroll all that stands before her. Completely unhinged, Uzioi is unpredictable - one moment she might smash a car aside to protect a small child, whilst the next she may take that same child hostage to draw Jatunn out. The one constant is that where Uzioi goes, death and destruction follow. She seems to obsess over Jatunn to an unhealthy degree, claiming that she wants to make him her consort as they rule over their "inferiors". Uzioi invariably takes Jatunn's rejections badly. She has a crosshair dyed into the fur on her right arm, and wears a set of military fatigues and a vest. Her official profile notes that her favourite weapon is an oversized revolver that she got as a gift from the Nalal program's head researcher. "You've felt it too, haven't you? The ecstasy of killing. The thrill as they choke on their own blood. The bliss of emptying a magazine into a stranger's skull. I could make you so much more, if only you would let me!" Grand Keeper of The Way: The overall antagonist of the piece. Little is known about her, and even less is known about her motives. What is known is that she wants to extend a "utopian" vision across the galaxy, one enforced with an iron fist. She is ruthless in her pursuit of power, and offs several people who disappoint her. It is hinted that she's receiving aid from an extra-galactic source, possibly based out of the Angel Sector. "Go forth, and conquer!" Critical Reception The Osseg Media Review gave the show 8/10 for its first season, noting the exciting plotlines, intelligent writing and memorable characters. However, it criticised the show's "occasionally unsavoury" fan service, particularly during certain interactions between Jatunn and Uzioi. Another point of contention was what it saw as an overplaying of the protagonist's physical helplessness. "One sometimes wondered why Jatunn didn't just stun Menacing Guard #100 with a mind blast," it opined. "However," it concluded, "This does not make it any less of an enjoyable romp - just one that the watcher must enter with both eyes open." Category:Mass Media Category:Sirian Union